Folder packer



M. KIRCHBERGER FOLDER PACKER April 19, 1960 Filed July 2l, 1958 ATTORNEY United States Patent FDLDER PACKER Michael Kirchberger, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Application July 21, 1958, Serial No. 749,948

Claims. (Cl. 22S-*13) This invention relates to dispensers and, more particularly, to a device for packing goods for dispensers.

Ordinarily, the folding of postage stamp packets for dispensers is a slow and tedious operation. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a completely manually operated folding and packing device for folding such packet blanks and inserting postage stamps therein that is extremely simple in construction, efficient in operation, and which will overcome the aforementioned diiculties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for performing `all of the folding, inserting, and tearing operations necessary for properly packing postage stamp dispenser packets which wiil allow the process to be interrupted at any time and later continued without disturbing the work already accomplished at the time of the interruption.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the type described which can be readily manufactured, is of low cost, and which can be readily operated after a short period of practice. j

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the packing device made in accordance with the present invention in operative use;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a blank of the type ordinarily used for packaging postage stamp dispenser packets;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank illustrated in Figure 2 in a rst folded, partially processed position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of certain parts of the device shown in Figure 1 during a final stage of the packing process; and

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a single stack of prepared packets ready for insertion into a dispensing machine.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, apparatus 10 for folding and packing blanks for postage stamp dispenser packets is shown to include a pair of plates 12a, 12b, one such plate 12a being substantially thinner than the other such plate 12b to provide suicient rigidity for tearing blanks in a manner hereinafter described. These plates are secured in spaced apart parallel relationship by means of a longitudinally extending bar 13 adjacent to one edge of the plates, and screws 14, so as to define an elongated space 11 therebetween of substantially uniform size and shape. A rod 16 extends laterally outwardly from one end of the plates for mounting the unit in any desired convenient location. At the opposite end of the unit, the plates 12a,V 12b are provided with enlarged openings 15 that permit access to the space 11 therebetween. The adjacent end of the bar 13 is elongated so as to form a stop member 17 having a shoulder 26 facing toward the 'ice adjacent end of the plates, all for purposes hereinafter described. 'Ihe end of the thicker plate 12a adjacent to the pivot rod 16 has one free corner that is turned outwardly to provide a lip 18 which deiines an enlarged space for guiding a cardboard blank into the space 11 between the plates. This lip 18 thus facilitates the use of the apparatus since it readily engages the blank being inserted in a quick and ecient manner.

With reference now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, a cardboard blank 20 is shown that is particularly suited for use with the present apparatus. This blank is provided with a single central longitudinal fold line 21 and a plurality of transverse tear lines 22. In using the apparatus, the blank 20 is first inserted as a single sheet into the space 11 between the plates 12a, 12b and folded into a V-shaped position 20a merely by turning it over upon the fold edge 19 along the thinner plate 12a. The blank 20a is then removed and inverted to the position 2Gb and positioned within the upper portion of the space 11 between the plates 12a, 12b. In this position, a strip of stamps 24 is placed within the V-shaped blank and the combined folded blank and stamps are pushed downwardly all of the way into the space 11. The blank is now ready to be separated into individual packets. The lingers of one hand are inserted into the openings 15 in the plates 12a, 12b so as to effect longitudinal movement of the folded blank into engagement with the shoulder 26 on the stop member 17. The distance between this shoulder 26 and the adjacent edges 27 of the plates is substantially identical to the distance between adjacent tear lines 22 in the blank. Thus, a single packet is automatically positioned between the shoulder 26 and the edges 27, whereby this packet 28` can be readily severed from the folded blank by tearing it along the outermost edge of the thicker plate 12a. As each packet 28 is so removed, the folded blank s pushed progressively along the support bar 13 until all of the packets have been so formed from the blank, following which, they are ternporarily secured together in a stack 30 by means of a U-shaped spring member 31, as shown in Figure 5. These formed stacks 3d may then be inserted into the dispensing machine, and after an entire column of packets has been so formed, all of the spring elements 31 are removed and a single weight placed upon the top of the column, whereupon the machine is ready for use.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as deined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for folding and packing blanks for postage stamp dispenser packets comprising, in combination, a unit including a pair of elongated substantially rigid plates and a support bar intermediate said plates adjacent to one longitudinal edge thereof, means securing said plates and support bar together with the opposite longitudinal edges of said plates in spaced apart parallel relationship, guide means at one end of said unit for directing a blank into the space between said plates, and stop means carried by said bar and spaced a predetermined distance outwardly from the opposite end of said vunit for positioning a blank relative thereto.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim l, wherein said guide means comprises a lip at the free corner of said one end of one of said plates turned outwardly from the other said plate to define an enlarged opening into said space.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said stop means comprises a projection integral with said support bar.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said plates having References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Williams Aug. 11, 1908 Baltzley Sept. 30, 1919 Euth Mar. 28, 1933 Baggett Oct.. 22, 1935 

